title: E-Cadherin negatively modulates delta-catenin-induced morphological changes and RhoA activity reduction by competing with p190RhoGEF for delta-catenin.
abstract: delta-Catenin is a member of the p120-catenin subfamily of armadillo proteins. Here, we describe distinctive features of delta-catenin localization and its association with E-cadherin in HEK293 epithelial cells. In HEK293 cells maintained in low cell densities, approximately 15% of cells overexpressing delta-catenin showed dendrite-like process formation, but there was no detectable change in RhoA activity. In addition, delta-catenin was localized mainly in the cytoplasm and was associated with p190RhoGEF. However, at high cell densities, delta-catenin localization was shifted to the plasma membrane. The association of delta-catenin with E-cadherin was strengthened, whereas its interaction with p190RhoGEF was weakened. In mouse embryonic fibroblast cell, ectopic expression of E-cadherin decreased the effect of delta-catenin on the reduction of RhoA activity as well as on dendrite-like process formation. These results suggest that delta-catenin is more dominantly bound to E-cadherin than to p190RhoGEF, and that delta-catenin's function is dependent on its cellular binding partner.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Bldg. 1-211, 300 Yongbong-dong, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hangun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Bldg. 1-211, 300 Yongbong-dong, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Minsoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Bldg. 1-211, 300 Yongbong-dong, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: koskim@chonnam.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kwonseop
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020666:ras-GRF1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D000095002:Delta Catenin
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D020666:ras-GRF1; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein; D000095002:Delta Catenin